Peña criticizes that while young people are lost in drugs, people are too busy with Barbie

Santo Domingo.- Tony Peña, the coordinator of the Social Policy Cabinet, has voiced his concern over the contrasting focus of many young people. While thousands struggle with drug addiction, there is a significant amount of attention given to the upcoming Barbie movie.

Peña’s statement comes as social media platforms are flooded with pink-themed content in anticipation of the movie premiere.

“The state of the world is worrying. I am puzzled by what is happening in our societies. On one hand, we see thousands, perhaps millions of young people lost in the streets due to drugs like fentanyl, and on the other hand, we have people immersed in Barbie fashion. Or even locally, there are those living in urban dumps,” he shared in a tweet.

The presence of fentanyl on the streets of the Dominican Republic has sparked a debate, with authorities denying its existence while others claim it has been a problem in the country for some time.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid known to be up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It creates a devastating dependency, even in cases where it was initially prescribed as a medical opioid.

The contrasting focus on the Barbie movie and the drug epidemic highlights the urgency to address the critical issues affecting young people and society as a whole.